Jax MJ Luvr Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 Hi, just registered today... anyways, I used to have a 94 Cherokee and offroaded with many friends here in colorado... unfortunately the trails I went on are not open due to the hayman fire a few years back and I have since sold my cherokee... I am considering purchasing a Comanche and have done some preliminary research... I found one out of state (ones in colorado are severely over priced) and am prepared to fly out and either drive it or tow it back.. I'm also considering having it shipped to me... My point, I'm looking for advice on what to look for, what to watch out for... 1) I was hoping to find a Selec Trac model, but that seems few and far between in my searches... curious how big of a deal that is? I'll only be using it to go camping and for snow weather... 2) what suggestions for suspension lifts? links to websites? I only need maybe 3" over stock. I'm not overly mechanically inclined, but my friend's father is a master mechanic and can talk my ear off about modifications, so I can always recruit him to help me on installs... (it will be on an 89 Comanche) do they always come stock leaf under? I'm used to my cherokee that was leaf over to start hehe... 3) I'm not a hard core offroader by no means, I leave that to my friends with the sick CJs and such that climb over very nasty trails, I just hitch a ride heh.. but I do need to make my rig trail worthy to cross water that is at least 2+ feet deep, sometimes more.. and need sufficient articulation for some peet rock moguls that can be 2 feet deep too heh... I had revolver shackles and a 3" rancho lift on my old cherokee... seemed sufficient.. what similar setup would work on a comanche? sorry for my ramblings, just hoping for some friendly advice :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bounty Hunter Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 Welcome, sounds like you know what you're getting into. All MJ's are SUA that I know of, swapping to a SOA is good for about 5"-6", generally too much to match with a shortarm front suspension (but I'm doing it anyway). In what state is this MJ you're looking at? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 All-wheel drive was a rare thing in the Comanche. Jeep apparantly figured nobody buying a truck wanted it. As far as I know, it only existed in 86 and that means you can't buy the 4.0 with it. The good news is that you can swap a np242 t-case behind the 4.0 without too much effort. If you're looking to ford 24" of water, you're going to want a 4.5-5.5 inch lift. The MJ and XJ are practially identical up front so any XJ lift will work there, then do a spring-over conversion to the rear. But it's a slippery slope in this hobby and one change requires another and then another and another, so it all depends on what you want in the end and what your budget is. Personally, I would buy a 2wd MJ (cheaper) and swap parts to make what I want. Oh, wait, that's what I did! :D Anyway, pick the engine you want (I'm guessing you want the 4.0), A/C or not, auto or manual (hard to swap between the two), and then buy a non-CAD front axle from a 2.5L MJ/XJ with 4.10 gears, grab an 8.8 from a 96+ Ford Explorer with 4.10s/disks/posi (better than a Dana 44), grab a later model XJ 4wd trans/t-case. Gearing is important in the mountains. Throwing on bigger tires without a gear change in the axles will make you engine feel sluggish and you'll curse it to no end on the big hills. This isn't the exact recipe I used, but it's much easier and almost as tough. Jeep on! --Pete P.S. plus, the satisfation of wheeling a truck you built is worth the effort. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax MJ Luvr Posted August 21, 2005 Author Share Posted August 21, 2005 I was looking at one out in Idaho, since I do auto finance I beat up the dealer and he was willing to sell it to me for what he paid for it at auction, since it's been on his lot for over 2 months and he had it over priced for his area anyways... as for buting a 2WD 4 banger... and making a ton of mods... if I did that, I wouldn't get to drive it for a few years, since I'd be reading manuals on how to install and replace so much stuff hehehe.. but as a side not, I found a guy really close here that has one like that for under $1500, is a 4wd 2.5L... so at least I do have that option if I choose to explore it heh... from what I saw through my research, I got to get the 4.0L or it just won't be strong enough for what I want to do.. I hate to be under powered. Short or long bed wasn't really an issue to me, since I can manage with either, but short is probably better for departure angles... Oddly enough, I do prefer an automatic, I prefer to pay more attention to manuevering than what gear I'm in and risking burning my clutch or stalling in the wrong places... my cherokee was automatic and it was great for the areas and my experience level. If it has AC it's just a bonus since I can always convert the compressor and use it for an air supply or whatever... I'm glad the front suspension is basically like the XJ, so if I go to a 5 or 6" lift, there shouldn't be any shortage of kits for the front end... my only fear will be doing the leaf over conversion, which I have no experience with and I have no welding experience or tools, and I'm sure there will be some cutting and welding of new brackets for that sort of thing... You do have my interest in maybe saving about 2 grand and just buying the little 4 banger nearby here... but I still have my doubts that I would be on task enough to ever finish such a project, not to mention the time and money to bring it up to specs for what I'm going to end up doing anyways... maybe just save myself the hassel and grab the one in Idaho and just shop and research what lift to do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax MJ Luvr Posted August 23, 2005 Author Share Posted August 23, 2005 well, you just had to mention the 4 banger LOL, I'm off to check one out very close to home and I may be able to snag it for $1000 ... it's an automatic so I was glad to see it had the AW4 transmission, same as what I had in my 94 chrokee.. so reliability is there... 125k miles, same transfer case as my cherokee, so good 4wd, should work out... just hope the rest of it is in good shape.. going to visit the owner, test drive the truck and maybe have a new toy heh my master mechanic friend already says he's more than willing to help me do the LOA coversion, so looks like I'll be working on a 5-6" lifted Mj afterall... crossing my fingers on the test drive and inspection.. I'll let you know how it goes :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 The Jeep 2.5Ls are a good little engine, but they are a 'little' engine and be aware that tire size increases are especiably noticable. Jeep on! --Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax MJ Luvr Posted August 23, 2005 Author Share Posted August 23, 2005 so true, I plan on running 31's, at the very most, as I recall on my Cherokee, I could stuff 30's with no problem at all and 31's barely touched the control arms, but I plan on doing Rusty's long arm suspension, since I'll also be doing the LOA in the rear, so I'll be nearly 6" lift overall... save myself the hassel from trimming any fenders ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 31s may look a bit small underneath a 6" lift. That's usually a height reserved for 33s. As I said, this hobby has quite the snowball effect. To go up (from the 33s I have now) to 35s or 36s, I'd have to regear the axles (and if I'm going to do that then it makes sense to get some selectable lockers since I'm paying for the gear set-up anyway), some aftermarket flares to cover the tires, stronger axle shafts up front to survive them, bigger shocks to control them, improved brakes to halt them, and don't forget the cost of the tires themselves. If I remember right, it totaled like 3 grand or more to do it right. (Don't forget that my current engine is on its last legs too.) And that's why I still have the 33s. :D Jeep on! --Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax MJ Luvr Posted August 23, 2005 Author Share Posted August 23, 2005 I remember how it was when I had my cherokee, I just kept buying and adding goodies almost each paycheck... 1st it was 31" tires, then the tires were to big for the wells, so in came a 3" lift.. but the rear end looked like it was sagging, so in came the revolver shackles and a repacked leaf spring set... then the tires rubbed on the control arms and tires looked too big... in came nice new BFG 30" tires instead.. then I wanted a full size spare... in came the new bumper and tire carrier... then the shocks started popping, so in came a bar pin eliminator and all new poly bushings with new shocks to boot... then the engine felt a little weak, in came the new high flow exhaust and cat, plus a turbo cities intake.. I expect nothing less when I get the Comanche :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax MJ Luvr Posted August 23, 2005 Author Share Posted August 23, 2005 Alas, the embers of misfortune torched my hopes... I was 1 HOUR too late, the dork I made an appointment with went ahead and told the MJ I was after for $1200... of course, he didn't give me the courtesy of calling me 1 hour prior to save me the house and a half drive to his house... what a swell guy eh... back to the drawing board, have to keep a sharp eye out for another one for the next month or 2... dag nabbit... 2 months of searching, just to miss by an hour... oooooh the humanity heh oh well, wasn't meant to be, am sure I'll find another eventually.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
attaboybob Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 check the NAXJA classifieds. http://www.naxja.org/classifieds/showcat.php?cat=2 that is where I found my MJ. ...BOB P.S. I also seen some tonight on E-Bay. I entered JEEP COMANCHE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Bob, If that MJ truly does have an AW4 behind the 2.5, please get a pic of it. It'll help settle a long standing myth that AW4's did in fact get put behind some 4 cylinders (although a rare precious few). Thanks, Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 What do you mean "some" four cylinders? Starting in '87, ALL automatic MJ/XJs had overdrive trannys. What other auto trans had overdrive? Jeep on! --Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 WE had a pretty extensive discussion about the AW4/2.5 myth over on NAXJA a few months ago, and the consensus was that they existed in rare numbers only from 87-89. Before that the only auto tranny available was the TF904/999, and then the 909 was available as an option. Not truly a 4 speed auto, but it had a locking torque convertor. I've personally never seen an AW4 behind a 2.5, and I've crawled over 100's of XJ/MJ's down here. One guy saw one, but he was a Chryco mech that had one pass thru his shop. IIRC, it was a "California equipped/spec'd" XJ model. Meh....I dunno, I'm just curious more than anything. I'm a 5 speed guy at heart. Less stuff to worry about breaking :) Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax MJ Luvr Posted August 25, 2005 Author Share Posted August 25, 2005 the one I saw 2 days ago in Ft Collins had the AW4 behind the 2.5... it even had a nice button on the dash to select between OD and Economy, for better gas mileage apparently :) wish I had a digi camera, I woulda got underneath and took a pic. also, when I was reasearching, off-road.com's tech area specifically talks about how the AW4 was the tranny for 2.5 and 4.0 from 87 through the 90's on XJ's and MJ's ... just what I read ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 I can now say I've seen an AW4 behind a 2.5L. I was at the 'yard over the weekend and saw it in an '87 XJ. Better than that, the thing had 4.56's in it (D30/35 w/ lsd). I might go back down and scarf up the '30...stash it under the house for future use :) Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Get pictures of that. There's people who believe they don't exist. (The 4.56s that is) Although I hear all 2.5/AW4s came with them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Hopefully they're still there, 'cause I can't get back down there until Sunday at the earliest (damn inlaws are coming this weekend :evil: I was thinking I should have pulled off the diff tags so noone could easily see what they were, but if I did that some numnuts would have popped the cover and goobered everything up..... From what I've read on other boards, 4.56's were the only ratio offered with the 2.5/AW4 (?) Dang it....I just might call in sick to work and go get the '30 *cough* Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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